Violin attachment



Y E. LACOSTE. VIOLIN ATTACHNIENTl APNIC/naufrago SEPTA. 1915.'

,- Patented Sep't. 21,'1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l..

E LACOSTE VIOLIN ATTACHMENT.

. APPLICATION FILED SEPTA. I9I5. Y 15353363'. PatentedSept. 21, 1920. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

c UNTEE@ STATES EMILE LACOSTE, OF NEIN ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

VIOLIN ATTACHMENT.

Application filed September 4, 1915.

To all 'io 7mm t may concern Be it known that 1, EMiLn Liicosrn, citi- Zen of the Republic of France, residing at New Urleans, in the parish of rleans and State of Louisiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Violin Attachments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain novel and useful improvements in stringed musical instruments and has particular application to an attachment for such instruments whereby the volume and duration of the tone are greatly increased.

In carrying out the present invention, it is my purpose to provide an attachment for stringed musical instruments which will embody a rod or bar and strings-tuned to vibrate with strings of the instruments.

It is also my purpose to provide an attachment for stringed musical instruments, that when placed in its normal position in such an instrument, as for instance, a violin, will improve the tone of the instrument by utilizing the full effect of the vibrations of the common strings producing a tone that is strong and penetrating, yet sweet, and when the attachment is displaced and moved so that its sound post is adjacent the bass bar, will tend to render the tone clear, liquid and of improved quality and carrying power and also sweet, and again when moved in the opposite direction will produce strong ringing tones in combination with harmonious overtones.

VVith the above. and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of `Tarts hereinafter set forth in and falling within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawings;

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through a musical instrument equipped with an attachment constructed in accordance with my present invention, the instrument being, in the present instance, a violin.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through the instrument and the attachment therein. y

Fig. 3 is an end view of the tail end of the violin.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the attachment removed from the violin.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented sept. 21, 1920'.

Serial No. 49,000.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross sectional view through the attachment.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary longi.

tudinal sectional view through the same.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all of the views of the drawings.

l show my novel attachment in conjunction with a violin body 11. In accordance with my present invention the rear end wall of the body is formed centrally with an opening, while secured to the inner surface of the forward end wall of the body is a block 12, Fig. 1, having a recess 13 formed in the inner face thereof and in registration with the opening in the rear end wall of the body.

. My novel attachment is preferably made up of a wooden rod 1, of-rectangular form incross-section and having recesses 8a in its four sides, tuning pins Q and 3 on four sides of the rod adjacent to the rear end thereof, band et constituting a string rest, a ferrule 5 having an offset flange 6 and also having apertures, Fig. il, strings 7 arranged in longitudinal groups about the rod 1 and each connected at one end to one tuning pin, anV

end plate 9 carried at the rear end of the rod 1 and adapted to normally close the opening in the rear end wall of the body 11, and a knob or handle 10 on said plate 9. The forward ends of the strings 7 are carried through the said apertures in the fery rule 5 and are secured to the rod 1 in any appropriate manner which, per se, is not of the essence of my invention, and therefore is not illustrated. lt will also be noted that the strings 7 rest on the band 4 and offset iiange 6 and are stretched between the said elements and are arranged with their major portions opposite the recesses 8a in the rod. As shown in Fig. 1, the forward Y end of the ferrule 5 is removably arranged pheric changes.

l/Vhile I have herein shown and described 'onepreferred form of my invention by Way of illustration, l, Wish it to be understood that I do not limit or ceniine myself to the precise details of construction'hereiny described and delineated, as modification and variation may be made Within the scope of theclaims and Without departingrfrom the spirit of theinvention. o

Furthermore, lavish it to be understood that although I have shovvnV and described my device as used in connection With a violin, the same is equally applicable to stringed musical instruments of all types, such as violins, violas, cellos, guitars, etc. v

I claim); Y Y l'. The combination with astringed' musical instrument body, said body having anl opening in its rear end Wall and` also having interior supporting means in its forward Y end portion; of an attachment comprising a rod extending through said opening in the rear endwvall ofthe body and having'its forward end portion disposed in saidY supporting means of the body, tuning pins on the rear portions of the rod, strings connect ed at their rear ends to said pins and having their forward ends connected With the rod and also having their intermediate portions stretched between spaced supports on the rod, and means on Vthe rear portion of the rod to close the opening in the rear end Wall of the body. Y

2.- An attachment for violins comprisingY a rod having a pluralityV of sides andalso having recesses in the intermediate Vportions of said sides, a ferrule secured Von the for-` ward end of the rod and having an offset flange and also having apertures, a band secured on the rear portion of the rod, tuning pins on the sides of the rod at points in rear of said band, a plate carried at the rear end Vof the rod and having a handle, and strings connected With the rod and passed through` the apertures in the ferrule and having their rearv portions connected to the tuning pins. 3. The combination With the body of-a stringed musical instrument, said body having an opening in its rear end Wall and in-V terior supporting means in its forward por-` tion,rof an attachment adjustable endwise through said opening and removably arranged in said supporting means and having means to close the opening in the rear end Wall of the body and also having strings i and tuning Apins on its'rear portion to adjust the tension of said strings.V

In testimony whereof l affix my signature in presence of tWo witnesses.

. v v` EMILE LACSTE.

Witnesses: v Y Y FERDINAND SCHAFF, O. COCHRAN. 

